The applicant's above mentioned concurrently filed co-pending International application discloses apparatus for simulated driving of a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle having at least one drive wheel and the apparatus including a support for rotatably supporting the drive wheel of the motor vehicle such that the motor vehicle remains stationary whilst a driver thereof controls the rotational speed of its drive wheel, a computer containing simulation software for generating virtual scenic imagery for a driver of the vehicle, and a visual display system having a viewing screen arrangement.
The support, the computer and the visual display system are operably interconnected for the simulation software to generate virtual scenic imagery on the viewing screen arrangement of the visual display system for viewing by a driver whilst the driver controls the rotational speed of the drive wheel, the virtual scenic imagery having a progression which is dependent upon the rotational speed of the drive wheel. The viewing screen arrangement of the visual display system, in use of a motor vehicle with the apparatus, includes a portion that extends across the front of and portions that extend respectively a distance along each side of the motor vehicle and the simulation software and visual display system are such as to generate virtual front and side scenic imagery for the driver on the viewing screen arrangement.
To increase the realism of a simulated driving session, the apparatus may include, in combination, a steering sensing arrangement for operable association with the vehicle steering for providing signals of steering actions by the driver which are inputted into the computer, the computer being programmed for the steering action signals to influence the simulation software such that the virtual scenic imagery is deflected in synchronism with the steering actions of the driver.
The present invention is a steering sensing apparatus as such which may be independently supplied for incorporation into apparatus for simulated driving of a motor vehicle, which apparatus may but need not be as in the applicant's above mentioned concurrently filed co-pending International application.